This is my statement of belief on what I consider the essentials of the faith. All my books are written with these doctrines and principles in mind. I do not cover everything I believe here but address briefly those I believe to be the most vital. I will add further statements and clarifications as required.
- God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
- Humanity, Sin, and Salvation
- The Bible
- The Obligation of All Believers and the Role of God’s Son and Spirit
- Resurrection, Heaven, and Hell
- The Universal and Local Church
- The Role of God’s Spirit and Contemporary Extremes
God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
I believe in God the Father, eternal, sovereign, and Holy Creator of heaven and earth, and in His Son Jesus Christ, the Lord, sinless and immortal God, who became man, born of a virgin to die in our place, rising victorious over sin and death. I also believe in God the Holy Spirit, sent by the Father and the Son to convict the world of sin and empower believers in a life of truth, holiness, and service.
Humanity, Sin, and Salvation
I recognize all humanity as being under the curse of sin and separated from God. I confess Jesus Christ alone to be Saviour, who, coming to earth as a man virgin-born, took my penalty on Himself to the cross where he died in my place, providing the only means whereby I could be reconciled with God. I accept that by faith in Him and His work alone, through His Holy Spirit’s personal and life-transforming work, I can be forgiven, obtain new life as His child, and inherit eternal life.
The Bible
I declare that the Bible, in all sixty-six books, is the inspired Word of God, without error in its original manuscripts, has been faithfully passed down to us today as a trustworthy and authoritative guide to all truth about God, His salvation, and purpose for us today and into all eternity. Its truth is authoritative and true for all cultures and all times.
The Obligation of All Believers and The Role of God’s Son and Spirit
I recognize that every believer is obligated to live a life that honours the Lord God and His Word, and confessing the inability of their sinful flesh to do so, accept their need for the forgiveness of Jesus Christ, and the indwelling of His Holy Spirit to make this possible.
Resurrection, Heaven, and Hell
I believe in the resurrection of the dead, those belonging to Jesus Christ to eternal life in His presence, and those rejecting His work and forgiveness to eternal punishment, separated from Him and His blessings forever.
The Universal and Local Church
I recognize that not all believers will agree on the interpretation of Scripture. I accept as brothers and sisters, however, those who profess faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, accept His word as His authority and guide, and evidence the presence and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in their lives. God has ordained the assembly of believers in local assemblies for ministry, mutual encouragement, worship, prayer, and instruction in the faith.
The Role of God’s Spirit and Contemporary Extremes
I believe God has given us His Spirit because we cannot live the Christian life in the flesh or by our human wisdom and insight. I attribute my salvation to the work of Jesus Christ and His Spirit opening my eyes to see Him and His work. The new life I received was not a result of my efforts but a work of God’s Holy Spirit through the forgiveness of Jesus Christ. I understand that unless the Spirit of God opens the eyes of those to whom I preach, they will not understand the truth and come to Christ. I am seeing more and more that the holiness I experience in me is not so much the work of my fleshly efforts to be godly, but rather the inner transformation of my heart and mind by the Spirit of Christ in me. I am convinced that when I stand before God on the final day I will not be able to say: “Look at what I have done for you,” but rather: “Thank you for what you have done through me.” My strength for service and holiness is in Christ’s forgiveness and the sanctifying work of His Spirit in me.
Having confessed my need of dependence on the Spirit of Christ to live the Christian life, I recognize that there are trends in modern Christianity to reduce God’s Spirit and Son to the role of servants, obligated to fulfill our every human wish and desire. I renounce any form of Christianity that does not recognize and submit to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and His Spirit or the authority of His Word.
